City's first hotel

Homewood Suites eyes Aug. 22 as opening date

An approximately $15-million project to bring Upper Arlington its first hotel is expected to culminate this month with the opening of the Homewood Suites by Hilton on West Lane Avenue.

Representatives of Sidney, Ohio-based S&S Management, which owns and operates hotels throughout the Buckeye State, said last week they hope to open Upper Arlington's first hotel Aug. 22.

The 109-room Homewood Suites by Hilton will be located within Upper Arlington's Lane Avenue Community Entertainment District on the former site of the Lane Avenue Baptist Church.

The five-story building is being touted as an "extended-stay" hotel, which will provide oversized rooms outfitted with refrigerators, dishwashers and microwaves, among other amenities.

"It's a beautiful property," said Doug Steinke, a partner at S&S Management. "It's a unique hotel that's almost more like a small apartment building.

"There's not another hotel in that Ohio State University area that's an extended-stay hotel."

Steinke said the hotel will feature an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center and a 45-person meeting room.

Patrons will receive breakfast seven days a week and dinner four days a week. Those costs will be included with their rooms, which Steinke said would range from approximately $119 to $169 per night.

"We'll be able to sell wine and beer," he said. "With our close proximity to Whole Foods, which is across the street, people can go get groceries for their stay or they can give us a list and we'll go get them."

The landmark development is being viewed as a key addition to the community, according to Upper Arlington officials.

Upper Arlington Community and Economic Development Manager Bob Lamb said it's expected to generate at least $140,000 in annual revenue.

"I believe the hotel is a welcome addition to the city," he said. "The hotel brings a new amenity to the city and to the residents.

"The hotel and mixed-use building are perfect redevelopment projects that will help bring to fruition (Upper Arlington City) Council's vision of the Lane Avenue corridor. Further, it will bring new revenue to the city and has already helped the city offset the costs for needed infrastructure improvements."

The mixed-use portion of the project, The Lane, is being led by Crawford Hoying Development Partners.

It will feature 108 one-, two- and three-bedroom "apartment homes," which Crawford Hoying has begun to pre-lease and are targeted for occupancy beginning in October.

"We've sold out of our one-bedroom floor plans," said Nelson Yoder, principal of Crawford Hoying Development Partners.

Additionally, the mixed-use project will include 26,000 square feet of commercial space.

Columbus restaurateur Cameron Mitchell has announced plans to open his first "American Grille" concept in February 2014, and a Wright-Patt Credit Union is scheduled to open in November.

"For commercial space, we're active with several different tenants," Yoder said. "We've gotten a lot of activity in both (the residential and commercial portions of the project) and would hope to have the space filled in the near term."

Last year, Upper Arlington officials estimated the mixed-use project would generate more than $711,000 annually in new property tax revenue for the city.